Sub-Let Room to Massage Therapist - Left Before Paying Rent

[maggie summers]

I run a small fitness studio, and have been sub-letting a room for use as a massage therapy. The therapist gave me 3 months notice she was leaving, but at the start of the last month, has left the building and not paid the month's rent that was due that day. We had a month by month contract, but she did give me 3 months notice via email (so written).
Nothing was signed, but when I gave her the invoice for the upcoming month (two weeks prior) she said nothing about leaving early.
Do I have a legal right to fight for the four weeks rent and last 3 months of electric under contract law? She also left the carpet in need of cleaning, as there is massage oil all over it. Can I get her to pay for cleaning it?

 

[John R]

Hi Maggie,
Do you still have contact with the massage therapist? Have you asked them to uphold their end of the verbal agreement that you had?

 

[maggie summers]

I have sent her an email, pointing out that she gave me 3 months notice, not heard anything back yet, but it's only been a day.

She claimed she left because the room was too hot and too cold, traffic noise, building noise and that the two businesses didn't work together well.
I gave her 7 days to pay the expected rent, and electric, I mentioned that the carpet was in need of cleaning now, but that I will forgo that if she pays the money that I was expecting for the next four weeks.
I'm just curious to see if i have any legal right to take her to the small claims court, if she doesn't pay, which I don't expect her to.

 

[Michael T]

Hi Maggie
In the absence of a contract, it appears that you would be relying only on the unpaid invoice/s to 'prove' the debt is owing to you.
Is this correct?